1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to navigation devices and, more specifically, to a navigation device for assisting the driver of a vehicle, in driving, by detecting and displaying him/her information about what is going on around the vehicle.
2. Description of the Background Art
There has been developed such system as monitoring around a vehicle on the road, with a sensor, to see what is going on therearound, and if collision with other vehicles is considered highly possible, warning the driver. For example, disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 11-321494 (99-321494) is such conventional technique as follows.
First of all, a video signal outputted from a camera is subjected to image processing so as to detect if any vehicle is approaching. If detected any, the driver of a vehicle is warned by a beep. Also, as for the approaching vehicle, an image thereof is square-marked and displayed on a display device. Accordingly, the driver can spot on the display which vehicle is the one warned of collision.
In the above conventional technique, however, the driver is not provided much information when he/she is in danger, but offered adequate information when no danger awaits him/her. Therefore, even when the driver hears a warning beep, he/she may be annoyed as is hardly knowing if any danger awaits him/her, and how dangerous it actually is. Further, if the driver hears any route guidance while driving, he/she may be distracted thereby and pay close attention only to ahead but not to behind. In the conventional technique, no consideration is given to such possibility.
Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a navigation device for helping the driver of a vehicle drive safely, without annoying the driver, by presenting him/her accurate information at the right time what is going on around his/her vehicle.
The present invention has the following features to attain the object above.
An aspect of the present invention is directed to a navigation device of a vehicle-mounted type for detecting the circumstances around a vehicle, and if considers warning a user is appropriate, arranging an applicable object model for display on a map image, and making a guidance to a destination. In the present navigation device, an external monitor part monitors the circumstances around the vehicle, and outputs resulting monitor information. Based on the monitor information, an obstacle detection part detects any obstacle observed outside of the vehicle, and outputs external information including position information of the obstacle. Based on the external information, a guiding part determines if the obstacle requires the user""s attention, and if requires, generates drive assistant information including the position information of the obstacle as in the external information. Based on thus generated drive assistant information and object model display information for the obstacle, a map data arranging part creates an object model for arrangement on a map image. Further, the guiding part generates guidance information including the resulting map image outputted from a map data arranging part in response to the route selected by a route selection part, the current position detected by a position detection part, and map data from a map data storage part. Thus generated guidance information is displayed on a display part for the user.
These and other objects, features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of the present invention when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.